O'Brien Atkinson

Handout

O'Brien Atkinson is president of Anne Arundel County's largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police. On March 6, the union called on County Executive John R. Leopold and Police Chief James Teare Sr. to resign in the wake of the indictment of Leopold, who is accused of using his police security detail for campaign and personal tasks. Fraternal Order of Police members voted overwhelmingly to express no confidence in Leopold and Teare. Every ballot cast opposed Leopold, and about 90 percent voiced no confidence in Teare, union officials said. More than half of the union's approximately 500 members voted in two days of balloting. "We are hoping that [Leopold and Teare] will do the right thing and step down," Atkinson said. The call for the no-confidence vote had come before the indictment was handed down. The FOP on March 5 had asked the County Council to change county law to require a council vote to fire a police chief. Union leaders said that would prevent a police chief from being beholden strictly to the county executive. "We believe the indictment is 100 percent accurate and the details of the indictment should be enough for both of these men to step down from office," Atkinson said in a prepared statement.

O'Brien Atkinson is president of Anne Arundel County's largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police. On March 6, the union called on County Executive John R. Leopold and Police Chief James Teare Sr. to resign in the wake of the indictment of Leopold, who is accused of using his police security detail for campaign and personal tasks. Fraternal Order of Police members voted overwhelmingly to express no confidence in Leopold and Teare. Every ballot cast opposed Leopold, and about 90 percent voiced no confidence in Teare, union officials said. More than half of the union's approximately 500 members voted in two days of balloting. "We are hoping that [Leopold and Teare] will do the right thing and step down," Atkinson said. The call for the no-confidence vote had come before the indictment was handed down. The FOP on March 5 had asked the County Council to change county law to require a council vote to fire a police chief. Union leaders said that would prevent a police chief from being beholden strictly to the county executive. "We believe the indictment is 100 percent accurate and the details of the indictment should be enough for both of these men to step down from office," Atkinson said in a prepared statement. (Handout)

O'Brien Atkinson is president of Anne Arundel County's largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police. On March 6, the union called on County Executive John R. Leopold and Police Chief James Teare Sr. to resign in the wake of the indictment of Leopold, who is accused of using his police security detail for campaign and personal tasks. Fraternal Order of Police members voted overwhelmingly to express no confidence in Leopold and Teare. Every ballot cast opposed Leopold, and about 90 percent voiced no confidence in Teare, union officials said. More than half of the union's approximately 500 members voted in two days of balloting. "We are hoping that [Leopold and Teare] will do the right thing and step down," Atkinson said. The call for the no-confidence vote had come before the indictment was handed down. The FOP on March 5 had asked the County Council to change county law to require a council vote to fire a police chief. Union leaders said that would prevent a police chief from being beholden strictly to the county executive. "We believe the indictment is 100 percent accurate and the details of the indictment should be enough for both of these men to step down from office," Atkinson said in a prepared statement.